City Stumped On Bunk House Removal

WAITSBURG - To say the city of Waitsburg is stumped by the future of the collapsed bunk house east of the McGregor plant is putting it mildly.

No one came forward to put in a salvage bid for its materials. The fire district doesn't want to burn it as part of a training exercise because it contains hazardous materials. And now it appears the city is in violation of its own code by just letting sit there.

"It's been a worrisome issue," said Mayor Walt Gobel. "We may need to bite the bullet and get it squared away."

The council voted unanimously last month to leave the bunk house as is after agreeing there is no money in the city's budget to correctly demolish the structure, which city officials say contains asbestos and lead-based paint.

Gobel was out of town when the meeting took place.

The mayor said in light of the municipal code, he may consider asking the council to put the bunk house back on the agenda and "see what they want to do with it."

The decision to leave the bunk house "as is" appears to be in violation of a city ordinance involving the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings, which holds that "buildings or structures which from any cause endanger the life, limb, health, property, safety or welfare of the general public or their occupants may be required to be repaired, vacated or demolished."

The old cannery bunk house, formerly an apple-packing plant, collapsed late 2011 during a wind storm and the city placed "caution" tape around its perimeter to keep people away from the structure. City staff and council members had already been actively looking for a solution before the structure caved in, but did not find any costless options.

The city put out a request for bids from companies in the business of salvaging building materials, but it did not receive any response. One local contractor said it wouldn't be worth the labor cost to obtain any useable lumber from the building, an even less attractive prospect now that the structure is down.

The city also discussed the possibility of a community salvage effort, but decided it could expose itself to potential lawsuits from citizens getting injured during demolition.

City Administrator Randy Hinchliffe acknowledged a city code requiring the demolition of hazardous structures exists, but said city officials have some flexibility when it comes to applying the statute to its citizens. Hinchliffe said the council planned to use that same flexibility in its own predicament with the bunk house.

Hinchliffe said the city takes a collaborative approach to solving enforcement issues with code violators, as long as "they are working toward an end goal."

It's unclear whether the council has given up entirely on finding a solution for bunk house that would satisfy the dangerous buildings abatement ordinance. The council members' biggest concern is one of funding.

"You have to look at it from a cost perspective," Hinchliffe said. "We don't have unlimited funds. Do you want to have it sitting there or close the (swimming) pool for a year?"

Aside from being an eyesore, some local residents have expressed concerns about the structure's appeal to adventurous youths, though Hinchliffe said it's at least 1,000 feet from any residential area with no way to access it by road.

The city carries general liability insurance under a policy with the Cities Insurance Association of Washington, which contributed some funds for the fencing that went up around the historic mill site after it burned more than two years ago. The funds to demolish that site came from grant money received by the Waitsburg Historical Society.

Hinchliffe said he plans to contact the insurance carrier to make sure the city satisfies its coverage requirements. He said placing a fence around the collapsed structure doesn't necessarily keep out kids who are determined to get in.